How do I check whether a Memphis assisted living facility is licensed?
Search the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission's facility listings at internet.health.tn.gov/FacilityListings by facility type and county; a licensed ACLF shows its license number, status, number of beds, date of last survey, date of original licensure and expiration date.
Then confirm the same license on HFC's quarterly bed report for assisted-care living facilities, which adds the number of secured beds and adult day care beds. Our assisted living roster combines both sources for Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties. If a place advertises assisted living but appears on neither list, ask for its license number; Tennessee can fine an unlicensed operation up to $5,000 for each day it operates.
Where can I see disciplinary actions against a Tennessee facility?
In two places: each facility's entry in HFC's listings shows a count of disciplinary actions with links to the orders, and HFC publishes a monthly Facility Action and Abuse Report listing every penalty, probation, suspension and revocation the commission ordered.
The orders describe what was cited, the penalty and any conditions such as probation, monthly appearances before the commission or proof of staff training. Our facility pages list every action HFC shows for that license and every mention in the Facility Action and Abuse Reports since January 2025. A long record is not automatically disqualifying, but a recent order is something to ask about directly.
How do I read a nursing home's inspection results?
Look up the home on CMS's Care Compare, which shows its star ratings, the date and findings of recent health inspections, deficiency counts, complaint investigations, fines, staffing hours and staff turnover.
Read the deficiencies themselves, not just the count; each one carries a scope and severity letter, and a single citation for actual harm matters more than several paperwork findings. Our nursing home roster shows the CMS rating, last inspection date and deficiency count for each Memphis-area home, and each home's page compares staffing and turnover with the local median.
How can I check a caregiver or staff member's background in Tennessee?
Search Tennessee's abuse registry, which lists people found to have abused, neglected, misappropriated or exploited the property of vulnerable individuals; licensed ACLFs are barred from employing anyone on it (0720-26-.06(1)(a)6).
For certified nurse aides, the state nurse aide registry (run by a vendor, Credentia, since June 1, 2026) shows certification status. Families hiring a private caregiver directly, outside an agency, should ask for references, run the abuse registry check themselves and consider a criminal background check, because no agency has screened that worker.
At a glance
| Public records show | Public records do not show | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Number, status, beds, expiration, first licensed date | Prices or availability |
| Inspections | Last survey date; CMS findings for nursing homes | ACLF survey reports online in bulk |
| Enforcement | Orders, penalties, probation, admission bans | Complaints that were not substantiated |
| Ratings | CMS stars for certified nursing homes | Any official rating for assisted living |
Sources include Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. chapters 0720-26, 0720-21 and 0720-18, Health Facilities Commission and TennCare pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
